Intervention Aftermath
by ShadowCatAlex
Summary: Wally and Artemis get a surprise visitor after the events of Salvage.


**I never expected something like this to be my first fanfic. **

**I was reading through YJ list, and I came across a description about Roy leaving Lian in the care of Kaldur and my immediate response was, "What? No, he'd leave her with Wally and Artemis". Then this happened. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. **

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Wally yawned as the words on the screen of his laptop blurred together for the third time in the last five minutes. He shook himself awake, his tired eyes flicking to the upper right hand corner of the screen_. 4:32 AM._ Sighing, Wally stood from the kitchen table, knocking an assortment of textbooks and dirty plates to the floor. Across the room, Artemis jolted awake, spooking the boxer-mix slumbering in her lap.

Grimacing, Wally began scooping up his papers hurriedly, shaking scraps of his late night dinner from the edges. A delicate hand rested on his shoulder.

"Here, let me," Artemis knelt beside him, collecting the dishes into her arms and carrying them to the sink.

Wally smiled, letting himself pause in his chore to wonder for the millionth time how he'd managed to meet someone so amazing. "Thanks, Babe. Sorry for waking you."

Artemis gave a shrug of her shoulders as she ran the hot water, a hint of lemon-scented dish soap filling the air. "How's the paper coming?"

"It's…coming," he sighed, setting his vietnamese lit research back on the table. He rubbed his eyes, blinking until he noticed Artemis watching him. She had one of those I-told-you-so looks on her face. "I know, I know, I should have done it sooner, but this was important. Even if it didn't change a thing, I had to be there. Roy needs to know he still has friends that care about him."

Artemis nodded, her eyes sympathetic. She may not have gone to the meeting with Roy, but she cared about the lost archer, too. "But you need to think about yourself, too. You need to do what's right for you."

Wally buried his hands in his pockets leaning against their over-stocked refrigerator. "I just hope something we said resonates with him. He can't go on like this."

The two sat in silence, the only sound the gentle snoring of their dozing canine in the next room.

"Anyway, I thought I might go for a run. Maybe some fresh air and adrenaline will wake up me up," Wally gave Artemis a peck on the cheek before crossing the room.

"I'll have a pot of coffee waiting for you when you get back. Just don't be gone long. I know how it is with you speedsters."

Wally chuckled as he pulled the door closed behind him, zipping his coat up against the icey breeze that blew his hair back. For just a moment, it reminded him of running, _really _running, something he hadn't done in weeks. He pushed the thought away, reminding himself that that part of his life was behind him. He only had to take a glance at Artemis through the window, busy scrubbing over the sinking, to remember why he was here in the first place.

He turned to make his way down the creaking steps of his apartment when he noticed a figure hunched at the bottom of the stairs. How long he'd been there, Wally may never know. As though only just noticing him, the figure turned their head toward him, revealing greasy, auburn hair, a scruffy beard, and sunken, haunted blue eyes.

Wally's eyes widened in surprise. "Roy?" Of all the things the unpredictable archer would do, showing up on his doorstep was the last thing Wally ever would have expected.

"Did you mean what you said? About...about being my friend?"

"Of course." Wally descend halfway down the staircase, pausing a few feet away. He noted his bare arms, wrapped tightly around something held to his chest. His bow and quiver were no where in sight. "Do you want to come in? It's freezing out here, and Artemis was just about to brew some coffee. If you need a place to crash-"

"No, no I won't be staying long, but…I do need to ask you for a favor," Roy stood, his back to Wally.

Wally furrowed his eyebrows together, his lips pressing together in a hard line. "Roy, I'm not lending you any money. You need help. Things have to change-"

"I'm not here for your money, West. But things are going to change. They…already are."

Before Wally had time to ask what he meant, the archer had turned around, revealing the small bundle in his arms. Wally froze.

Roy swallowed loudly, his adam's apple bobbing. "Her name's Lian. She's…she's my daughter." Roy stared down at the little girl in his arms, her little chest rising and falling rhythmically. An expression Wally had never seen before crossed his face.

Wally was speechless. Correction; showing up with on his doorstep with a _baby_ was the last thing he'd ever expect Roy Harper to do.

"I'm going away for a while, and I can't take her with me. If what you said before, about being my friend, was true, then I need you to take care of her while I'm gone," He spoke in a rush, his eyes looking anywhere but at Wally.

In all the years he'd known the archer, Wally had never seen him like this; desperate. Sure, he'd hit rock bottom and now swiped money from the petty thieves he stopped, but he'd never pleaded with anyone. He wasn't one to ask for help. He'd always been so cool, focused, and determined. Even after his Cadmus programming had ceased, he'd continued to work on his own.

He took Wally's continued silence as a sign of further explanation. "The League can't know about this. Not GA, not Canary, not even Nightwing. _No one_."

Wally licked his lips, tearing his gaze from the infant. "And Artemis?"

"You and Artemis are a package deal, I get that. But she can't tell anyone, either." He moved toward Wally, carefully maneuvering the baby into his arms. Wally, unable to function properly, didn't object.

Roy stood back, still looking unsure. "I…I'll be back soon."

"I-but, we're…how can we-" Wally stumbled over his words, his thoughts a jumbled mess. As his best friend had once said, he was fast with his feet, not his mouth.

"There's no one I'd trust her with more than you two." Roy finally met Wally's bewildered stare. It was then that Wally knew that Roy himself had only just learned of Lian's existence. He was trusting his _daughter_, who he had only just met, to Wally of all people.

Wally nodded, looking down at the baby in his arms, then back at Roy. "We'll do our best," he found himself saying.

"That's all I can ask." Roy gave his shoulder a squeeze before placing his domino mask over his eyes and turning away into the night. As Wally watched him go, a shadow slipped to his side, leaning into him, before they both disappeared.

Slowly, Wally back-tracked up the stairs, carefully balancing the small, innocent body in his arms as he opened the door.

"Must have been some run for you to be back so-" Artemis cut herself off when she saw Wally's bundle. She stood still, staring, for a full minute before she slowly made her way to the dumbstruck speedster. _What have I just agreed to?_

"That's…that's a _baby_," Artemis stammered, still standing a foot away. Then she crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Where did you_ go_ on this run of yours? Are you out of your mind? Why-"

"Roy." Wally's voice was hoarse. He still couldn't believe that had just happened.

"Roy? What does-" Artemis's eyes widened as she realized what he was telling her. Artemis gently shifted the baby into her arms, before taking a closer look. The auburn hair confirmed the father, but the mother… She glanced at her own hand, then back at the baby's face before gasping loudly. "I haven't seen her in over a _year_…" she muttered to herself, rocking slowly back and forth.

Wally slumped against the door. He was anything but tired, but there was no way he could possibly think about school after _this_. "_Now_ can I copy your paper?"

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**So, what did you think? Leave me a review, let me know. Constructive criticism would be great!**


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